Copyright Application Filing Process

Copyright is one of the forms of Intellectual Property. Under copyright, the creative works of literacy, artistic, musical and producers of cinematograph films and sound recordings can be registered. All these intellectual works can be protected through the copyright registration.

The filing of Intellectual Property copyright can be made in copyright office, New Delhi. The two ways to file the copyright application is by courier or by on-line facility. The official website of copyright contains forms which can be downloaded for free. The copyright application shall be sent in triplet courier to the copyright office. The on-line application can be applied by first signing the new registration form before filing the copyright application.

The copyright can be legally protected by filing the copyright form 4 (application for registration of copyright). The form 4 includes the statement of particulars and statement of further particulars. It should be filled clearly and relevantly according to the requirements of form 4. It should not consist of over written and irrelevant points. For the blank answers, the word "not applicable" shall be written in the form 4.

The single application form is for a single creative work. A separate copyright application should be made for more than one work and should be submitted in the copyright office, New Delhi. The prescribed fees, as, mentioned in the second schedule to the rules, should be paid along with the submission of the copyright application. The fee is paid to the registrar of copyrights, New Delhi either by postal order or demand draft. The website of copyright office of New Delhi contains a list of fees related to copyrights.

Applicant or an advocate shall sign the copyright application. If the applicant gives power of attorney to the advocate, then the proof of the power of attorney given by him shall be submitted along with the copyright application form. The filled form shall send to the copyright division, department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, New Delhi.

The period of copyright varies according to the nature of work created by the author. The period of the copyright is 60 years. The copyright work such as Literary, musical, artistic works have a period of life time of the author and additional 60 years from the end of the author dies. The work such as photographs, films, comport programs, sound recordings are guarded for sixty years after publication of the above said work. After the end of the sixty year, the work is made available to the public with the consent of the owner of the copyright.